Safety Archives - American Scaffolding Scaffolding Solutions Fri, 21 Apr 2023 15:19:29 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Safety Training: It’s in American Scaffolding DNA https://amscaf.com/safety-training-its-in-american-scaffolding-dna/ Mon, 15 Aug 2022 15:44:17 +0000 https://amscaf.com/?p=17027 All of our training is in accordance with guidelines and recommendations of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Scaffold and Access Industry Association (SAIA) and Scaffolding, Shoring and Forming Institute, Inc. (SSFI). Our training encompasses Competent Person Training, as well as user training on most systems.

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]]> With the upcoming release of our 2022 catalog, American Scaffolding truly exhibits its leadership, displaying a full portfolio of scaffolding systems and safety equipment. Frame systems, suspended scaffolding, mast climbers, traction hoists/material hoists, and more deserve dedicated focus that will come in the months ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is common to all these systems, and is a service we take pride in, is the comprehensive training support we are able to offer our customers. All of our training is in accordance with guidelines and recommendations of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Scaffold and Access Industry Association (SAIA) and Scaffolding, Shoring and Forming Institute, Inc. (SSFI). Our training encompasses Competent Person Training, as well as user training on most systems.

Competent Person Training

As American Scaffolding Safety Director, Kim Hoffa, relates, “At American Scaffolding, Competent Person training provides important classroom and hands-on training for everything involved in the proper erection, use, and dismantle of the specific types of systems. However, taking the Competent Person course does not automatically designate one as a CP. That designation comes from the employer of the individual, who by training, education and experience exhibit the characteristics of a Competent Person.” Along with being deemed a Competent Person, an organization should also consider if the individual meets the definition of “qualified.” This means one who by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated his/her ability to solve or resolve problems related to the subject matter, the work, or the project.

As detailed in our new brochure that will be available soon, Competent Person Training covers the following areas:

  • Suspended Scaffolding
  • Frame Scaffolding
  • System Scaffolding

Scaffolding Equipment User Training

When it comes to User Training, American Scaffolding offers courses for equipment from the following manufacturers:

  • Universal Systems Scaffolding
  • Bee Access / My-te Products
  • Altrex Modular Swing Stage
  • Vanguard Frame Scaffolds
  • Bisomac Hoist / Beta Max
  • Power Climber Hoist
  • Hi-Lo Climbers
  • Tractel Hoist
  • Hi-Tech Hoist

We provide user training on-site when a client purchases equipment, or simply requests training. Once a system has been erected, we cover areas including operations and daily inspections. Our training includes hands-on experience as well as discussion. Just some examples include the Altrex Modular swing stage and rigging system that may be used with either a Bisomac or a Tractel Hoist Motor. Yet another example would be how Universal Systems equipment is used with the Super Chute system to create the multi-story debris chutes.

American Scaffolding training meeting

Frame Scaffold Training

Following is a summary of some examples of training we provide for frame scaffolds:

Types of Scaffolds

Scaffolds are temporary elevated platforms used to support workers and/or their materials. There are several different types. Covers types, regulations governing scaffolds, components of, uses, safety, tips and tricks for installation, configurations, choosing the right scaffold type for the job and activities, scaffold loads, duration, and conditions.

Scaffold hazards

There are many risks associated with working at heights, especially when using scaffolds. You must be able to identify potential hazards and maintain constant safety awareness and comply with safety rules and regulations. Covers fall protection, fall hazards, unsafe access, struck by falling objects, electrocution, and scaffold collapse.

Foundations

For a scaffold to be stable it must be on a strong, stable foundation. Accidents involving scaffold collapse are due to inadequate foundations. This covers the intended load, regulations, foundation components, foundation preparation, ground surfaces, scaffolds near excavations, sloped foundations, and indoor floors.

Platforms

Platforms support workers and materials at elevated heights. They must be adequate and safe for the working conditions and type of work to be conducted. There are different types of platform units made from a variety of materials. You must be able to identify the appropriate type and style of platform for situation. This covers solid sawn wood planks, laminated scaffold planks, metal planks, scaffold decks, composite planks, calculating plank capacity, regulations governing platforms and platform hazards.

Guardrails and Toe boards

Guardrails are an important fall prevention measure, which is a barrier, normally consisting of an assembly of top rails, midrolls and posts, erected to prevent workers from falling to lower levels. A toe board is a barrier placed to prevent materials or tools from accidentally being kicked or knocked off the work platform to a lower level. This covers how to install, heights, load capacity, regulation, codes and standards, guardrail access, guardrail gates, falling object protection, screens, and barricades.

Ties and Guys

Guy wires typically take the place of ties when there is not adjacent structure, or the adjacent structure is not strong enough to support the ties. Guying provides stability and strength in the absence of ties. A tie is a device used between scaffold components and the building or structure to enhance lateral stability. This covers factors affecting scaffold stability, tension, compression, anchors, tie design and use, tie location, horizontal spacing.

Scaffolding Training Resources

Also, the links below provide some references for governing and industry resources on scaffolding training:

OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926
Subpart L-Scaffolds and Subpart M-Fall Protection

ANSI/ASSP – American National Standards Institute/American Society of Safety Professionals

A10.8-2019 Scaffolding Safety Requirements
https://webstore.ansi.org/Standards/ASSE/ANSIASSPA102019?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-sbkjZ23-QIVE4dbCh0x6QBhEAAYASAAEgLs8PD_BwE

SAIA – Scaffold & Access Industry Association

https://www.saiaonline.org/trainingandeducation

SSFI – Scaffolding, Shoring & Forming Institute

https://www.saiaonline.org/ssfi

As mentioned above, American Scaffolding’s dedicated Safety Director is Kim Hoffa. You may have met Kim; she’s regularly out at job sites.  Please call our office and ask for Kim any time safety questions or training needs in relations to scaffolding equipment arise in your organization. All of us at American Scaffolding are eager to help you make your worksites and projects as safe as possible and users are comfortable with the equipment they are using.

 

 

 

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]]> Do You Have a Safety Program or a Safety Mindset? https://amscaf.com/safety-program-mindset/ Tue, 27 Apr 2021 15:11:27 +0000 https://amscaf.com/?p=16543 What contributes to the effectiveness and success of a safety program in any given organization? Perhaps it’s something more than a “safety program”. We’d like to suggest that success is driven by a safety mindset.

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Safety

The April issue of Safety and Health Magazine features OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations for FY2020. All are areas we are concerned about at American Scaffolding, but four of them are particularly close to home:

  • Fall Protection – General Requirements
  • Scaffolding
  • Ladders
  • Fall Protection – Training Requirements
Violation # Citations
2020 2019
Fall Protection – General Requirements 5,424 7,014
Hazard Communication 3,199 4,170
Respiratory Protection 2,649 2,826
Scaffolding 2,538 3,228
Ladders 2,129 2,766
Lockout/Tagout 2,065 2,975
Powered Industrial Trucks 1,932 2,347
Fall Protection – Training Requirements 1,621 2,059
Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection 1,369 1,630
Machine Guarding 1,313 1,987

Although it could be encouraging to note that the number of citations in each of these four areas dropped from 2019, at least a portion of the difference could be attributed to the impact of COVID19 on workplace activity in 2020. Safety is always a priority at American Scaffolding, not only as a topic, but in day-to-day practice. Reading the article OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations in Safety + Health led us to ponder: “What contributes to the effectiveness and success of a safety program in any given organization?” Perhaps it’s something more than a “safety program”. We’d like to suggest that success is driven by a safety mindset. Probably not coincidentally, an invitation to a webinar on “Building a Machine Safety Mindset” arrived right around the same time as the Safety + Health feature on OSHA Top 10 list for 2020. But then, just what is a safety mindset? We decided to look at this from both an overall organizational level and an employee level.

A Safety Mindset – with a Foundation in Organizational Culture

Redwoods, an insurance and consulting firm that is part of Crum and Foster, identifies ten areas of focus for safety and wellness programs. One of those areas is a “safety mindset”, which entails cultivating “a safety mindset at every level of employment. Protocols need to match practices, and safety is everyone’s responsibility…”   As exhibited in a post devoted specifically to this topic, Creating a Safety Mindset at Your Organization, Redwoods identifies four elements to support what are truly engrained behaviors and beliefs when it comes to safety. These are:

  • Leadership Commitment and Employee Involvement
  • Workplace Analysis
  • Hazard Prevention and Control
  • Training for Employees, Supervisors and Managers

It’s one thing to instill a culture of safety such that it is effectively a component of the company’s “DNA”. The next level is employees who possess a strong safety mindset. How do you identify this commitment among your workers?

Employees Possessing a Safety Mindset

An article written by a safety audit group, The Checker, highlights the characteristics of a safety mindset among employees. As their article, Four Signs of Personnel With the Right Safety Mindset, expresses:

“… no matter how good your safety polices are, the level of safety at your company will ultimately be determined by the attitude of your personnel.”

According to The Checker, employees with a safety mindset exhibit the following behavior and habits:

  1. They use their equipment according to the instructions and without taking short-cuts.
  2. They are aware of their surroundings and what is happening around them.
  3. They understand their limitations and are proactive in communicating when something is beyond their ability.
  4. They report problems with the confidence that doing so protects the company, its people, customers, and even other people directly or indirectly affiliated with it.

Ultimately, in the world we work in daily, scaffolding safety is our central focus. We’ll be offering more about that in upcoming posts. In the meantime, see our previous post, Ladder Safety is not Child’s Play. Although a bit whimsical, it offers good reminders on ladder safety and fall prevention.

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]]> Market slower than usual? Get yourself set up to move fast! https://amscaf.com/safety-training-slow-market/ Thu, 17 Dec 2020 17:35:56 +0000 https://amscaf.com/?p=16448 If you find 2021 a bit slow getting started, it’s a good time to reinforce some core components for long term success. One great option is safety training to enhance and reinforce processes, procedures, and knowledge about safe use of the equipment you use on the job.

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Light at the end of the tunnel.

That’s the hope we hear in relation to 2021 in several aspects. Most of those aspects link to anticipation that we are about to turn a corner on COVID19: that perhaps the tsunami it’s been for almost a year, wreaking havoc on our health and the well-being of our families and livelihoods, may be reaching a point where it will begin to recede.

Always optimistic, we’re eager to contribute to the hopeful momentum.

Signs indeed point to recovery in 2021, yet they indicate the pace will likely be a leisurely one. You’ve likely seen the recent article in Engineering News-Record, 2021 Construction Forecast: A Slow Road to Recovery, conveying expectations that meaningful growth is likely to be several months away. The article quotes Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics, who says, “…we see…slow growth continuing into the fourth quarter and quite frankly into the first three months of 2021.”

We share this outlook from ENR not to close a year so many would love to forget on a down note, but with a couple suggestions for succeeding through a market that, for a while still, may not be as vigorous as we’ve been accustomed to for several years.

Scrabble Work Environment

Add Safety Training to Your 2021 Business Plan

If you find 2021 a bit slow getting started, it’s a good time to reinforce some core components for long term success. One great option is safety training to enhance and reinforce processes, procedures, and knowledge about safe use of the equipment you use on the job.

A group of four workers at a construction site. They are all wearing yellow reflective vests and hard hats. One is holding a clipboard.

As noted on our website, American Scaffolding offers safety training for the following manufacturers:

  • Universal Systems Scaffolds
  •  Vanguard Frame Scaffolds
  •  Tube and Clamp
  •  Superchute Trash Chutes
  • Altrex Modular Swing Stages
  •  Bee Access Rigging
  • PowerClimber Hoist
  •  Tractel Hoist
  • Bisomac Hoist
  •  Beta Max
  • Hi-Lo

More broadly, it might be an opportunity to take time for continued professional/personal development and business development plans. An acquaintance who works in manufacturing in a different industry recently commented to me in a conversation, “I don’t know why I feel the pressure to get this new product information out. Nobody’s doing anything right now.”

The “why”, be it for professional or business development, is that this WILL pass, and at least SOME of the competition, whether individuals or organizations, are using this time to enhance awareness about their capabilities. Who wants to start off at a disadvantage when the market gains steam again!!

Some articles we’ve run across recently that might spark some ideas if you need them include “Owning Your Development”, a piece that offers examples of how others pushed through difficult times, and “Can Patience Exist in Business Development”, which stresses the importance of building business strategically, rather than frantically.

Hopefully that light at the end of the tunnel is close – closer than the forecasters cautiously predict.

Still the fundamentals of training, professional development and sound strategic planning can become victims of busy-ness during the extremely busy times. They are important activities that we often hold off for “later”… “when things slow down a bit”. Now could that “later” we often talk about.

As the market rounds the curve toward recovery, we’d be honored to help you with safety training. We can also connect you to resources to build your network, who can assist with other training and development needs.

Here’s to 2021 being “better” in many ways!

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]]> Ladder Safety is not Child’s Play https://amscaf.com/ladder-safety-not-childs-play/ Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:25:18 +0000 https://amscaf.com/?p=16289 One key component of ladder safety is making sure you have the right ladder for the job. Will you need one that is a self-supporting, straight, or extension ladder? So many options are available - single pole ladders, step ladders, multipurpose ladders, platform (podium) ladders, extension ladders, telescoping ladders and more.

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Dateline: Classic

Reporter: Mad Hatter

Cited for Ladder Safety, Jack is also a Hero

In what could have been a tragic ending, comes a report from OSHA citing Jack-in-the-Beanstalk for ladder safety violations while ironically recognizing him as a hero in bringing down the villainous Giant.

Tom Thumb, the Regional Administrator for OSHA’s Wonderland Region remarked, “It’s fortunate, and perhaps even worth celebrating, that the only one hurt in this incident was the Giant. Jack took a terrible risk using a beanstalk as a ladder.

“The thing is, falls are far too common. It was only a couple weeks ago that our own Alice of Wonderland fell down a rabbit hole.

“This only underscores the importance of not only using a ladder, but choosing the right one for the job and using it safely. Like…Humpty Dumpty, giving absolutely no regard to duty rating…don’t even get me started.”

Yes, this is a far-fetched way to begin a post on the importance of ladder safety and choosing the correct ladder for the job. But, with tales from our childhood exposing the dangers that are present when working above ground level, it seems we might have missed some early lessons.

Statistics on the dangers of falls are quite serious and sobering. OSHA reports falls from ladders as the leading cause of death in the construction industry, with 320 out of 1,008 reported fatalities in 2018 attributed to falls. The fact is it only takes 1 second to hit the ground from a 16-foot fall. Over half of the fatal falls in construction are from heights of less than 25 feet.

It’s almost impossible to see a construction site without a ladder. Ladders are simply standard equipment in this industry.

Choosing the Right Ladder for Your Job

One key component of ladder safety is making sure you have the right ladder for the job. Will you need one that is a self-supporting, straight, or extension ladder? So many options are available – single pole ladders, step ladders, multipurpose ladders, platform (podium) ladders, extension ladders, telescoping ladders and more.

Also critical to your decision are ladder material, duty rating and height.

One of our suppliers, Green Bull Ladders offers some valuable information on ladder rating requirements. Green Bull products meet or exceed the applicable standards and requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Ladder Safety – Know The Basics

In addition to OSHA, many reliable industry resources provide direction on appropriate ladder material and heights as well as duty rating. Some include PROCONSTRUCTION Guide, which offers helpful information on the proper use of extension ladders.

Generally, ladder safety centers on four key areas: the proper ladder style, the proper height, performance – or duty rating, and the right material. Just some of the basics in terms of usage include:

  • Check ladders for loose, cracked, or greasy rungs, split side rails and worn shoes. Make sure the run locks are in working order.
  • Maintain 3-point contact with the ladder at all times: two hands and one foot, or one hand and two feet.
  • Allow only one person on the ladder at a time.
  • Always face the ladder.
  • Keep your balance: don’t pull, lean, stretch or make sudden moves while on the ladder.
  • Do not work from the top three rungs of an extension ladder.
  • Do not work from the top step of a step ladder.

For further recommendations, including ladder maintenance and training, familiarize yourself with OSHA’s standards.

A final recommendation to keep in mind: do not use a ladder in a horizontal position as a scaffold.

It’s okay to be like Jack and be a hero in doing a job well done. Just be sure to use the right equipment.

We’re able to cover all your site needs for ladders AND scaffolds. Let us know when you have any questions about choosing the right equipment for your job.

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]]> NOT for the Job Site: Free Solo https://amscaf.com/not-for-the-job-site-free-solo/ Wed, 13 Mar 2019 15:26:20 +0000 https://amscaf.com/?p=6150 When you’re in the scaffolding business, working in any way with or around scaffolding, it’s easy to feel torn between several reactions to Free Solo. These range from “Is the guy NUTS?!?!” to “The guy’s an outright mountain goat and hero!”.

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Some movies can be hard to watch, and at the same time, impossible not to watch.

Free Solo, a film recently released by National Geographic, depicts the historic free climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park by expert climber, Alex Honnold. That’s “free climb”. As in without ropes or any other safety equipment.

When you’re in the scaffolding business, working in any way with or around scaffolding, it’s easy to feel torn between several reactions to Free Solo. These range from “Is the guy NUTS?!?!” to “The guy’s an outright mountain goat and hero!”. Whatever your reaction in this range, or beyond, one thing is for sure: do NOT attempt anything like it on the job!

Free Solo may be a movie of fabulous views and epic athleticism. It’s also an excellent reminder of how dangerous it is to work suspended above the ground. The hard facts are equally hard as reminders.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that a mind-boggling 2.3 million construction workers work on scaffolds. Additional astounding data from the Department of Labor, regarding scaffolding-related accidents:

  • Each year, on average 4,500 injuries occur.
  • An average of 60 deaths are caused.
  • S. employers spend $90 million in workdays lost.

Many solutions exist to reducing scaffolding related injuries. One of the first is quality safety equipment.

Safety Harness

1. Invest in Quality Safety Equipment

Safety is something we take very seriously at American Scaffolding. In reality, safety is a strategic initiative that determines success in every area of our business. When it comes to safety equipment, we’re committed to protecting our workers and others through all phases of a job.

In fact, we’ve recently completed an initiative at American Scaffolding to upgrade all the safety equipment our crews use. The upgrade includes moving from standard, basic harnesses to ones featuring leading edge dual leg retractables.

Hard hats, glasses and gloves are a part of this effort as well, with upgrades across the line.

2. Expand Your “Safety Portfolio”

Beyond the personal safety equipment, we’ve also invested in our “safety portfolio” by way of new horizontal life lines, anchors, flag line systems, and guard rail systems. Along with equipment we are in the processing of updating safety documentation. These include daily, JHA’s, scaffold inspection, and more detailed scaffold tagging.

Safety itself is the key objective of the new equipment, but another goal has been to force and emphasize the issue. The new equipment is very tangible evidence of how seriously we regard our workers’ safety. In addition, we hope the commitment to upgrading safety equipment provides peace of mind. Using top-of-the-line gear can be reassuring to not only our workers, but their families. It also reassures our customers that safety comes first, ahead of everything else we do.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how important safety is to your business. If you are anything like us at American Scaffolding, safety is the first thing on your mind ALL the time.

3. Stay Up to Date with Safety Best Practices

We don’t presume to have all the expertise; in fact, we engage a third party safety consultant to guide us on best practices for safety at American Scaffolding. Still we invite you to take advantages of some of the safety resources we share on our website. In this section of our site, you’ll find an assortment of safety references and checklists, provided by experts including the Scaffolding, Shoring & Forming Institute (SSFI) and the Scaffold & Access Industry Association, Inc. (SAIA).

As for Free Solo – sure, check out the movie if you are interested. Other than that, we strongly advise against it!

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